The 9 NYC specialized high schools
New York City has nine specialized high schools. Eight admit students only by SHSAT score, and the ninth, LaGuardia, admits only by audition. Students apply to them separately from the main MySchools list.
| School | SHSAT 2026 | Avg SAT | Grad rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stuyvesant High School Manhattan | 561 | 1497 | 99% |
| High School for Math, Science and Engineering at City College (HSMSE) Manhattan | 539 | 1464 | 100% |
| Queens High School for the Sciences at York College Queens | 531 | 1463 | 100% |
| The Bronx High School of Science the Bronx | 525 | 1447 | 99% |
| Staten Island Technical High School Staten Island | 517 | 1436 | 100% |
| High School of American Studies at Lehman College the Bronx | 507 | 1405 | 99% |
| Brooklyn Technical High School Brooklyn | 506 | 1405 | 97% |
| The Brooklyn Latin School Brooklyn | 495 | 1362 | 100% |
| Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts Manhattan | Audition | 1195 | 99% |
How do offers to the specialized high schools work?
Offers go out in descending order of SHSAT score, following the order in which each student ranked the schools at registration. The highest scorer gets their first choice, and so on down the list. When a student’s first choice is full, they are considered for their second choice, then their third, until all seats are gone. Students are not considered for schools they did not list.
How should you rank the specialized high schools?
Rank them in the order your child truly prefers. A score cannot be “wasted” on a high choice: if that school fills up, your child simply moves to the next. List every school your child would really attend, because a school left off the list is not considered at all.
How do you get into LaGuardia High School?
By portfolio and audition, not the SHSAT. Students can audition for up to six studios: dance, drama, fine and visual art, instrumental music, technical theater and vocal music. Each studio scores auditions and makes its own offers, so a student can receive up to six offers. An offer also requires a final grade of at least 65, or the equivalent, in English, math, science and social studies last school year.
Can you get into a specialized school and another high school?
Yes. Specialized school offers are separate from the main MySchools application, so your child can hold offers from both and choose. Every family should still submit the main application, which is due December 4, 2026.
Are specialized high schools the best high schools in NYC?
They post some of the highest SAT averages in the city, but that largely reflects selecting students by a test score. Many other schools have strong results, and which is best depends on your child.
NYC high schools by average SAT, including non-specializedAll NYC public high schools
What are the DREAM and Discovery programs?
DREAM is a program that prepares eligible public school students for the SHSAT. Discovery is a summer program for rising 9th graders from low-income backgrounds who took the test and scored below the cutoff; those who complete it can enroll in a specialized high school in September. The DOE contacts eligible students in the spring.
Sources
Admission rules and 2026 cutoffs are published by the NYC Department of Education. SAT and graduation figures come from DOE reports. School Match is not affiliated with NYC Public Schools.
Checked against NYC DOE pages on November 5, 2026.